Beery‐Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual‐Motor Integration (Beery‐VMI): lessons from exploration of cultural variations in visual‐motor integration performance of preschoolers. (15th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lim, C. Y.; Tan, P. C.; Koh, C.; Koh, E.; Guo, H.; Yusoff, N. D.; See, C. Q.; Tan, T.
• Is Part Of: Child care health and development. Volume 41:Number 2(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 213
• Page End: 221
• Publication Date: 2014-09-15
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child care -- Periodicals; Children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Children with disabilities -- Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1111/cch.12190
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-1862

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="cch12190-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Visual‐motor integration (VMI) is important in children's development because it is associated with the performance of many functional skills. Deficits in VMI have been linked to difficulties in academic performance and functional tasks. Clinical assessment experience of occupational therapists in Singapore suggested that there is a potential difference between the VMI performance of Singaporean and American children. Cross‐cultural studies also implied that culture has an influence on a child's VMI performance, as it shapes the activities that a child participates in. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore if there was a difference between the VMI performance of Singaporean and American preschoolers, and (2) determine if there were ethnic differences in the VMI performance of Singaporean preschoolers.</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12190-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>The Beery‐VMI, which was standardized in America, is commonly used by occupational therapists in Singapore to assess the VMI ability of children. We administered the Beery‐VMI (fifth edition) full form test (excluding the supplemental tests) to 385 preschoolers (mean age = 63.3 months) from randomly selected schools in Singapore. We compared the scores of Singaporean preschoolers with those of the American standardization norms using the one‐sample <italic>t</italic>‐test. Scores of different ethnic groups among the Singapore population were also compared using a one‐way <sc>anova</sc>, followed by the Bonferroni <italic>post‐hoc</italic> test.</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12190-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Singaporean preschoolers and the standardization sample of American children performed significantly differently in all age groups (<italic>P</italic> < 0.05). Among the Singapore population, the scores were also significantly different (<italic>P</italic> < 0.05) between the (i) Chinese and Malay and (ii) Chinese and Indians ethnic groups.</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12190-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Preschoolers from different cultural and ethnic groups had different VMI performance. Certain cultural beliefs and practices may affect VMI performance. Clinicians should exercise caution when using an assessment in communities and cultures outside the ones on which it was standardized.</p> </sec> </abstract>